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WHO raises pandemic alert to second-highest level	Richard Fleetwood
	Apr 29, 2009 13:55 PDT

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WHO raises pandemic alert to second-highest level

*http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/04/29/swine.flu/index.html*

Story Highlights
*NEW:* WHO raises influenza epidemic level from 4 to 5
*NEW:* "Actions now should be taken with increased urgency,"
director-general says
World Health Organizations reports 132 cases in 11 countries
U.S. government working on vaccine, homeland security chief says

*GENEVA, Switzerland (CNN)* -- The World Health Organization raised its
pandemic alert to 5, its second-highest level Wednesday, indicating the
outbreak of swine flu that originated in Mexico is nearing widespread human
infection.
[image: Patients wait at a hospital Wednesday in Mexico City. The swine
flu outbreak began in Mexico.]

Patients wait at a hospital Wednesday in Mexico City. The swine flu outbreak
began in Mexico.

Dr. Margaret Chan, the U.N. agency's director-general, said the decision
means that all countries should "immediately" activate pandemic preparedness
plans.

"This change to a higher phase of alert is a signal to governments, to
ministries of health and other ministries, to the pharm industry and the
business community that certain actions now should be taken with increased
urgency and at an accelerated pace," Chan said.

The annoucement came as the number of people infected with swine flu
increased rapidly across the world, and health officials scrambled to get
more information about the virus -- which has no vaccine.

"It's a virus that we've never seen before," said Dr. Anthony Fauci,
director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

"There's no background immunity in the population, and it is spreading from
human to human, all of which has the potential for a pandemic."

Germany and Austria on Wednesday became the latest European countries to
report swine flu, while the number of cases increased in the United Kingdom
and Spain.

There are 132 confirmed cases in 11 countries, the majority in the United
States, according to the WHO and the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention. Those figures include seven deaths in
*Mexico*<http://topics.cnn.com/topics/Mexico>and one in the United
States.

The virus has been reported in 10 states, and the number of people infected
with the 2009 H1N1 influenza strain grew to 91 in the U.S., the CDC said
Wednesday. That number includes the first U.S. swine flu fatality: a
22-month-old child from Mexico who died of the illness Monday at a Houston,
Texas, hospital. [image: Video] *Watch officials detail the child's
death ť*<http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/04/29/swine.flu/index.html#cnnSTCVideo>

The toddler had traveled with his family to Brownsville, Texas, to visit
relatives, and likely already was infected when he entered the United
States, a Texas health official said Wednesday. The child was transferred to
the Houston hospital when his condition worsened.
Don't Miss

 - *Swine flu cases
mount*<http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/04/29/swine.flu.cases/index.html>
 - *'Patient zero' in outbreak
identified*<http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/04/28/swine.flu/index.html>
 - *Dr. Sanjay Gupta "tweets" on swine
flu*<http://twitter.com/sanjayguptacnn>
 - *Watch videos on swine flu
outbreak*<http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/04/27/swine.flu.videos/index.html>

A U.S. Marine in California is the military's first suspected case of swine
flu, and three military family members in San Diego have confirmed cases,
the Defense Department said. [image: Video] *Watch the Marine Corps
commandant discuss swine flu
ť*<http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/04/29/swine.flu/index.html#cnnSTCVideo>

As a precaution, the military is banning travel to Mexico for nonessential
personnel.

Meanwhile, the Pentagon is planning for a task force that would help with
transportation, logistics and distributing medical supplies in the event of
a pandemic, a spokesman said. It would work alongside the CDC and local
authorities if requested.

The U.S. government is distributing 25 percent of its stockpile of antiviral
medications Tamiflu and Relenza to all states, Homeland Security Secretary
Janet Napolitano said Wednesday. Health officials stress that the
medications are effective only if taken in the early stages of the
infection.

In the meantime, the government is working on developing a vaccine and hopes
to have a pilot version ready for testing in a few months, Fauci said.

Newly confirmed Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said,
"We are committed to ensuring that these vaccines are safe. HHS and the
[Food and Drug Administration] will monitor the manufacturing of a potential
vaccine and will have strict oversight to ensure that the vaccine is safe
and effective for use."

President Obama called on schools with confirmed or possible swine flu cases
to "consider temporarily closing so that we can be as safe as possible."

At least 74 elementary, junior high and high schools have closed across the
country due to confirmed or probable cases of swine flu, the Department of
Education said Wednesday.

Another 30 schools have closed as a precautionary measure, Department of
Education spokesman Massie Ritsch said.

In Mexico, where the global outbreak originated, health officials suspect
the swine flu outbreak has caused at least 159 deaths and roughly 2,500
illnesses. So far, 26 cases, including the seven deaths, have been
confirmed.

Mexican officials also said they believe they may have found "patient zero"
-- the first case of the global outbreak -- in the small mountain village of
La Gloria.

Edgar Hernandez, 5, survived the earliest documented case of swine flu. He
lives near a pig farm, though experts have not established a connection
between that and his illness.

Edgar has managed to bounce back from his symptoms and playfully credits ice
cream for helping him feel better.

Researchers do not know how the
*virus*<http://topics.cnn.com/topics/Influenza>is jumping relatively
easily from person to person, or why it's affecting
what should be society's healthiest demographic. Many of the victims who
have died in Mexico have been young and otherwise healthy.

The deadly outbreak has prompted authorities to order about 35,000 public
venues in Mexico City to shut down or serve only takeout meals as health
officials tried to contain spreading of the virus. *iReport.com: "Regular
life" in Mexico with masks* <http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-250851>

Governments around the world are scrambling to prevent further outbreak.

Some countries, such as China and Russia, have banned pork imports from the
United States and Mexico, though the WHO said the disease is not transmitted
through eating or preparing pig meat. Several other countries, such as Japan
and Indonesia, are using thermographic devices to test the temperature of
passengers arriving from Mexico.

Egypt reportedly is considering culling all pigs although there have been no
reported cases of swine flu there.

Swine influenza, or flu, is a contagious respiratory disease that affects
pigs.

When the flu spreads person to person, instead of from animals to humans, it
can continue to mutate, making it harder to treat or fight, because people
have no natural immunity. *Learn more about swine flu and how to treat
it ť*<http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/04/29/swine.flu/index.html#cnnSTCOther1>
Symptoms
include fever, runny nose, sore throat, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

Common seasonal flu kills 250,000 to 500,000 people every year worldwide,
far more than the current outbreak of swine flu. But there is a vaccine for
seasonal flu

--
//* ----- Who I Am ----- *//
Richard Fleetwood
Founder/Director - SurvivalRing
http://www.survivalring.org

Follow me on...

Twitter
www.twitter.com/rafleet
www.twitter.com/survivalring

Facebook
www.facebook.com/people/Rich-Fleetwood/514071267

LinkedIn
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/b/7b3/672

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<h1>WHO raises pandemic alert to second-highest level</h1>
<a href="http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/04/29/swine.flu/index.html">http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/04/29/swine.flu/index.html</a>
<div> </div>
<div>
<li class="cnnHiliteHeader">Story Highlights
<li>NEW: WHO raises influenza epidemic level from 4 to 5 
<li>NEW: "Actions now should be taken with increased urgency," director-general says 
<li>World Health Organizations reports 132 cases in 11 countries 
<li>U.S. government working on vaccine, homeland security chief says</li></li></li></li></li></div>
<div> </div>
<div>
GENEVA, Switzerland (CNN) -- The World Health Organization raised its pandemic alert to 5, its second-highest level Wednesday, indicating the outbreak of swine flu that originated in Mexico is nearing widespread human infection.

<div id="imageChanger1">
<div class="cnnStoryPhotoBox">
<div class="cnnImgChngr" id="cnnImgChngr">
<div id="cnnImgChngrNested"><img height="219" alt="Patients wait at a hospital Wednesday in Mexico City. The swine flu outbreak began in Mexico." hspace="0" src="http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/HEALTH/04/29/swine.flu/art.flu.afp.gi.jpg" width="292">
<div class="cnnStoryPhotoCaptionBox">
<div class="cnn3pxTB9pxLRPad">
Patients wait at a hospital Wednesday in Mexico City. The swine flu outbreak began in Mexico.<img height="4" alt="" src="http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/.element/img/2.0/mosaic/base_skins/baseplate/corner_wire_BL.gif" width="4"> 
</div></div></div></div></div></div>

Dr. Margaret Chan, the U.N. agency's director-general, said the decision means that all countries should "immediately" activate pandemic preparedness plans.
"This change to a higher phase of alert is a signal to governments, to ministries of health and other ministries, to the pharm industry and the business community that certain actions now should be taken with increased urgency and at an accelerated pace," Chan said.

The annoucement came as the number of people infected with swine flu increased rapidly across the world, and health officials scrambled to get more information about the virus -- which has no vaccine.
"It's a virus that we've never seen before," said Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
"There's no background immunity in the population, and it is spreading from human to human, all of which has the potential for a pandemic."
Germany and Austria on Wednesday became the latest European countries to report swine flu, while the number of cases increased in the United Kingdom and Spain. 
There are 132 confirmed cases in 11 countries, the majority in the United States, according to the WHO and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Those figures include seven deaths in <a class="cnnInlineTopic" href="http://topics.cnn.com/topics/Mexico">Mexico</a> and one in the United States.

The virus has been reported in 10 states, and the number of people infected with the 2009 H1N1 influenza strain grew to 91 in the U.S., the CDC said Wednesday. That number includes the first U.S. swine flu fatality: a 22-month-old child from Mexico who died of the illness Monday at a Houston, Texas, hospital. <img height="14" alt="Video" src="http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/.element/img/2.0/mosaic/tabs/video.gif" width="16" border="0"> <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/04/29/swine.flu/index.html#cnnSTCVideo">Watch officials detail the child's death ť</a>

The toddler had traveled with his family to Brownsville, Texas, to visit relatives, and likely already was infected when he entered the United States, a Texas health official said Wednesday. The child was transferred to the Houston hospital when his condition worsened.

<div class="cnnStoryElementBox">
<h4>Don't Miss</h4>
<ul class="cnnRelated">
<li><a href="http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/04/29/swine.flu.cases/index.html">Swine flu cases mount</a>
<li><a href="http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/04/28/swine.flu/index.html">'Patient zero' in outbreak identified</a>
<li><a href="http://twitter.com/sanjayguptacnn" target="new">Dr. Sanjay Gupta "tweets" on swine flu</a>
<li><a href="http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/04/27/swine.flu.videos/index.html">Watch videos on swine flu outbreak</a> </li></li></li></li></ul></div>
A U.S. Marine in California is the military's first suspected case of swine flu, and three military family members in San Diego have confirmed cases, the Defense Department said. <img height="14" alt="Video" src="http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/.element/img/2.0/mosaic/tabs/video.gif" width="16" border="0"> <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/04/29/swine.flu/index.html#cnnSTCVideo">Watch the Marine Corps commandant discuss swine flu ť</a>

As a precaution, the military is banning travel to Mexico for nonessential personnel.
Meanwhile, the Pentagon is planning for a task force that would help with transportation, logistics and distributing medical supplies in the event of a pandemic, a spokesman said. It would work alongside the CDC and local authorities if requested.

The U.S. government is distributing 25 percent of its stockpile of antiviral medications Tamiflu and Relenza to all states, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said Wednesday. Health officials stress that the medications are effective only if taken in the early stages of the infection.

In the meantime, the government is working on developing a vaccine and hopes to have a pilot version ready for testing in a few months, Fauci said.
Newly confirmed Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said, "We are committed to ensuring that these vaccines are safe. HHS and the [Food and Drug Administration] will monitor the manufacturing of a potential vaccine and will have strict oversight to ensure that the vaccine is safe and effective for use."

President Obama called on schools with confirmed or possible swine flu cases to "consider temporarily closing so that we can be as safe as possible."
At least 74 elementary, junior high and high schools have closed across the country due to confirmed or probable cases of swine flu, the Department of Education said Wednesday.
Another 30 schools have closed as a precautionary measure, Department of Education spokesman Massie Ritsch said.
In Mexico, where the global outbreak originated, health officials suspect the swine flu outbreak has caused at least 159 deaths and roughly 2,500 illnesses. So far, 26 cases, including the seven deaths, have been confirmed.

Mexican officials also said they believe they may have found "patient zero" -- the first case of the global outbreak -- in the small mountain village of La Gloria.
Edgar Hernandez, 5, survived the earliest documented case of swine flu. He lives near a pig farm, though experts have not established a connection between that and his illness.
Edgar has managed to bounce back from his symptoms and playfully credits ice cream for helping him feel better.
Researchers do not know how the <a class="cnnInlineTopic" href="http://topics.cnn.com/topics/Influenza">virus</a> is jumping relatively easily from person to person, or why it's affecting what should be society's healthiest demographic. Many of the victims who have died in Mexico have been young and otherwise healthy.

The deadly outbreak has prompted authorities to order about 35,000 public venues in Mexico City to shut down or serve only takeout meals as health officials tried to contain spreading of the virus. <a href="http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-250851">iReport.com: "Regular life" in Mexico with masks</a>

Governments around the world are scrambling to prevent further outbreak.
Some countries, such as China and Russia, have banned pork imports from the United States and Mexico, though the WHO said the disease is not transmitted through eating or preparing pig meat. Several other countries, such as Japan and Indonesia, are using thermographic devices to test the temperature of passengers arriving from Mexico.

Egypt reportedly is considering culling all pigs although there have been no reported cases of swine flu there.
Swine influenza, or flu, is a contagious respiratory disease that affects pigs.
When the flu spreads person to person, instead of from animals to humans, it can continue to mutate, making it harder to treat or fight, because people have no natural immunity. <img height="14" alt="" src="http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/.element/img/2.0/mosaic/tabs/interactive.gif" width="14" border="0"> <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/04/29/swine.flu/index.html#cnnSTCOther1">Learn more about swine flu and how to treat it ť</a> Symptoms include fever, runny nose, sore throat, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

Common seasonal flu kills 250,000 to 500,000 people every year worldwide, far more than the current outbreak of swine flu. But there is a vaccine for seasonal flu</div> 
<div></div> -- //* ----- Who I Am ----- *// Richard Fleetwood Founder/Director - SurvivalRing <a href="http://www.survivalring.org">http://www.survivalring.org</a> Follow me on... Twitter 
<a href="http://www.twitter.com/rafleet">www.twitter.com/rafleet</a> <a href="http://www.twitter.com/survivalring">www.twitter.com/survivalring</a> Facebook <a href="http://www.facebook.com/people/Rich-Fleetwood/514071267">www.facebook.com/people/Rich-Fleetwood/514071267</a> 
 LinkedIn <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/pub/b/7b3/672">http://www.linkedin.com/pub/b/7b3/672</a> 

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